Hockey Ad Network

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

CALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Kris Foucault of the Calgary Hitmen. Foucault picked up three points, scoring two goals and an assist to go with a +3 rating in two games over the last week, helping the Calgary Hitmen win the 2009 Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series over the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-0.

On Tuesday, April 21st, the Calgary Hitmen were at Westman Place in Brandon for game three of the Eastern Conference Championship, leading the series 2-0. Foucault scored two goals and one assist as the Hitmen defeated the Wheat Kings 4-3 to take a 3-0 series lead. He was also named the games 2nd Star.

The next evening, Wednesday, April 22nd, the Wheat Kings hosted the Hitmen in game four of the series at Westman Place. Foucault helped pace the Hitmen to a 6-4 victory over the Wheat Kings and was on the ice for the game winning goal. With the win, the Calgary Hitmen claim their first Husky Eastern Conference Championship since 1999 and advance to the 2009 WHL Championship Series to contend for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. For his efforts throughout the series Kris Foucault was also named the Husky Eastern Conference Championship Most Valuable Player.

The Calgary Hitmen will host either the Kelowna Rockets or Vancouver Giants in games one and two of the WHL Championship Series, at the Pengrowth Saddledome, on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd, times to be determined.

Foucault, an 18 year-old from Calgary, Alberta, is playing his second season in the WHL and the joined the Hitmen organization at the 2009 trade deadline. He picked up 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 22 games played with the Hitmen this season and is currently tied for most goals scored in the 2009 WHL Playoffs with 10 goals in 12 games.

The WHL has also nominated Mark Guggenberger of the Kelowna Rockets for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Guggenberger posted a 2-1-0-0 record this past week with two shut-outs, allowing just three goals on 63 shots for a 1.000 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.

Guggenberger, a 19 year-old from Richfield, Minnesota, is in his second season of play in the WHL. After joining the Kelowna Rockets from the Swift Current Broncos earlier this year he posted an impressive 17-3-1-2 record to close out the regular season. Thus far in the playoffs Guggenberger’s record stands at 11-4 with a 2.100 GAA and .912 save percentage.Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Matt Duchene of the Brampton Battalion is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 26. Duchene scored four goals with one assist for five points with a plus-minus rating of plus-1 in three games.

Duchene and the Battalion opened the week Tuesday night in game four of the Rogers Eastern Conference Championship Series in Brampton against the Belleville Bulls. Duchene scored the first of four unanswered goals to lift the Battalion to a 4-3 comeback win over the Bulls. He also assisted on the game-winner scored by Scott Tanski at 13:47 of the third period as third star of the game. Held pointless in game five, Duchene had his best offensive game of the playoffs scoring a hat-trick in the sixth and final game of the series Friday night leading the Battalion to a 7-4 victory as first star of the game. The win gave the Battalion a 4-2 series win to capture the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions. They will now face the Windsor Spitfires in the Rogers Championship Series for the J. Ross Robertson Cup beginning Wednesday night in Windsor.

Duchene, an 18-year-old from Haliburton, ON, is in his second OHL season with the Battalion. He has 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 16 playoff games after finishing the regular season ranked 14th in league scoring with 79 points. Duchene was named the winner of the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year. He is eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and was ranked second overall amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Also considered this week was Nick Palmieri of the Belleville Bulls. Palmieri scored six goals in three games highlighted by a two goal performance where he scored the overtime winner Thursday night in game five in Belleville as first star of the 3-2 win. Cody Hodgson of the Battalion scored three goals and two assists for five points in three games. In goal, Andrew Engelage of the Windsor Spitfires won two games in overtime to lead his club to the Rogers Championship Series. He made 80 saves with a goals-against-average of 3.20 and a save percentage of .920.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)